Last chance saloon
by kimcooperx
Summary: The wedding's looming and Cody's drunk - and so with the help of a Scotsman, an Irishman and a Playboy Bunny, he makes it his job to get Beth back before his wedding.
1. Chapter 1

Don't hate me - I know that If I Were A Boy and Playing With Fire both need updated but I really do love Beth and, right now, she's all I want to write. As 100% woman! So any qualms or disappointments - eject them at me later (;

* * *

Title : Last Chance Saloon  
Author : Kim [Also credited as Kay]  
Pairing : Cody Rhodes/Eve Torres, previously Cody Rhodes/Beth Phoenix.  
Rating : Maybe K for this chapter...couple swear words but nothing bad.  
Summary : All alone, Beth starts to have second thoughts about her break up with Cody but there's nothing she can do now that he's engaged to Eve.

* * *

"I'm Dashing Cody Rhodes, bringing you one step closer to dashing." Ten minutes into Smackdown and, already, Beth Kocanski had had enough! Switching the television over to a rather savage nature program, the blonde glanced down at the lightweight brace she wore over her knee whenever in 'resting' position. It had been both a curse and a blessing, that injury. She had been dreading that day – the sixth of May – since they had told her about the WWE Supplemental draft. His first night had been easy enough – their spots were far apart and she arrived just in time for hers, made pleasant conversation with Barbara and John Hennigan and, by the time it was time for his, she was halfway home.

But May 6th had always been ominous and she knew that, even if he hadn't been on Smackdown, there would be no way to avoid him – Taryn and Drew's official wedding 'celebrations' were being held that evening after the Smackdown tapings and everyone was invited. Everyone including Cody Runnels and his brand new fiancée, Eve, whom Beth really didn't want to see anytime soon. Since Taryn had joined ECW, Beth had done her very best to help Taryn, training with her twice a week to make her 'future champion' material and she knew the Louisiana native would be most hurt if she didn't attend. And so, after a lot of thinking – and a lot of outfit changing – the blonde had finally decided that she was going to go and she was going to put Miss Eve Torres in the shade. She was going to her friends' celebrations and she wasn't going to let the appearance of her ex and his girlfriend spoil it.

Or at least this was the mentality she tried to keep but, by the time her rental car had pulled up in the arena parking lot on the day of the celebrations, self doubt had most definitely kicked in. The blonde was already doubting the heels she had brought with her and was ready to bin the strapless, floral dress she had planned wear thanks to that food baby she was now sporting. She hated work events as it was – they were always full of ignorant divas, examining their ribs and talking about the best cosmetic surgeons to go to – but this one, Beth just knew this one would be hell. She wasn't a particularly religious person and, save for the few times Michael Hickenbottom had urged her to, she couldn't remember the last time she had prayed. Looking back on it, she hadn't even prayed when her grandma had passed away in July but, at the time, she had been desperate.

The diva closed her eyes and leaned back, resting her head against the drivers' seat head rest and, for the first time in Goodness knew how long, she began to pray. "I know I don't pray enough, God; Shawn – I mean Michael – does enough for both of us, I'd say…But I know I should pray more and I know you tell us not to hate anyone but, right now, God? I hate her and I need you to help me…" She wasn't a delusional girl and she didn't think for one moment that, if she and Cody were still together, that she would be in Eve's position, a diamond sparkler currently sitting on her engagement finger. No, she would never have gotten engaged so soon – they had only been together a matter of weeks – and she couldn't help but think they would rush into marriage, too and, naturally, rush straight into divorce, something she was all too familiar with. She felt both foolish and ashamed as she started up again, "I get that I agreed to break up – at the time it seemed like the right thing to do and he was as cut up as I was…But it was long distance…it would never have worked…But it wouldn't be long distance now…" The blonde's words caught in her throat and she found herself feeling both foolish and ashamed – she had never been whiney or needy and yet, here she was, whining to God, telling him how much she missed her ex boyfriend. "I really would love if you could strike her down with lightning but, you know, being God, I get that you can't do that…So how about we strike a deal? If you can get me our of having to see her…I'll do anything. Get the party cancelled, give her a 24 hour bug – nothing serious, I get that God doesn't do that – but just…something. If you can do this for me, just this one thing, I'll pray every day, I'll do every signing, I'll take part in every single event for sick kids…everything. Just don't let me see them…" She opened her eyes slowly and took the keys from the ignition before reaching behind her to grab the black duffel bag from the back seat. Exhaling, she sighed exasperatedly, "I'm trying to bargain with God…what would Michael think of me?"

The match itself hadn't been too bad compared to some of the spots she had been involved in since moving to the 'blue brand'. Milena Roucka wasn't a half bad wrestler and, if she was honest, Beth enjoyed wrestling her; it was just like being back at OVW – but, after jumping from the turnbuckle, the blonde landed with a thump, a searing pain shooting through her leg, her knee suddenly white hot. She let out a cry of pain, alerting both Milena and the referee that all was not well. She had had many injuries in her career, had taken many knocks and bumps, but there had never been a pain like this. She did her best to get through the match but it was near impossible and, when the referee threw up an 'X' with his arm, she felt her leg five out once more, her eyes watering as she clutched at her knee, unable to get up from the mat.

And so she had gotten her wish – she hadn't had to see Cody nor Eve. In fact, she hadn't seen anyone that evening, save for the EMTs and the medical staff at the hospital. No matter how much she protested, the Glamazon was seriously injured and she was going to be out for a long time.

* * *

At first it had upset her – wrestling was the only love she had, if you didn't count her two dogs, and she hated being away from it. She wasn't exactly a lover of pain relief either but, since the surgery, she had been on daily painkillers which also upset her greatly. But it was during one of her late night phone calls to Taryn, while Drew had the task of driving to the next hotel, that she realised just how lucky she really was. "I'm so sick of them, Lizzie," Taryn complained and Beth could almost hear the pout in her words. "If I hear about her bloody wedding one more time, I'm going to scream…" Beth laughed silently; just like Cody and Eve, Taryn and Drew had been quick to marry but, unlike Cody and Eve, they had done it privately, with few people even knowing of their plans. "You know she invited me? ME? What makes her think I'd want to go to her wedding when she's marrying one of my best friend's ex?"

"They invited me, too…" Beth said, sadly, swallowing hard.

"They did?" Taryn seemed suddenly very subdued and Beth could hear Drew mutter something darkly in the background, his accent thick as ever.

"Yeah, sent me my invitation in a sympathy card when my grandma died…

"You're kidding?"

"Nope. Real classy, huh? Although, granted, the flowers they sent were nice. Well, he sent…he didn't have her name on the card, anyway…"

Taryn swallowed hard before continuing the conversation, "Perhaps this injury's a good thing, Lizzie? It would hurt you a whole lot more if you were around backstage, constantly having to see them…I think, and I know it sounds stupid, especially to someone as determined as you are, but maybe this injury is a blessing. I really think it was God's way of helping you out…" And both Beth and Drew scoffed at that.

* * *

The blonde's eyes dragged back to the television screen where a lioness was currently ripping some sort of deer-like animal to shreds, great chunks of meat flying everywhere. She tried to envision herself doing this to Eve but, sadly, she couldn't imagine there was much meat on the brunette. And with that thought playing on her mind, the blonde picked up the television remote once more and pressed the power button, the television turning black almost instantly with a static pop. It was only a quarter past nine – much too early to go bed – and so she moved to her feet, groaning a little as she bent her knee for the first time in quite a while. She wasn't the type to sit around and vegetate but after a long workout earlier that day – her longest since her injury – she had felt the need for some rest, forgetting just how stiff her leg got if she didn't move around enough.

Feeling old, and just a little bitter, she walked to the door of the sitting room, glancing at the now wilting flowers on her sideboard (they had come as a sympathy present, alongside a prayer book, from Ted Dibiase just after her grandmother died) and, lifting the vase, she wandered into the kitchen, emptying the water and binning the flowers. Ted had tried to remain impartial when the break up had happened, still texting and calling Beth whenever he was on the road but the calls had soon dried up, the texts too and now, she imagined the only contact she'd have with someone who had once been a good friend, would be the occasional 'hello' backstage at pay per view's. Placing the now empty vase on her kitchen counter, the blonde shook her head – why was she being so pessimistic? She was usually upbeat, always hoping for the best, yet here she was complaining about everyone and everything. She went back to the sitting room, picked up her cell phone and turned it off – Taryn usually called to check with Beth how she had done in her matches and, having not seen the divas match, the blonde didn't think she could bluff it with her friend. _No,_ she thought to herself,_ an early night is exactly what I need._


	2. Chapter 2

So I understand this isn't the favourite story for you guys but I really do enjoy writing it - even if it did take me an hour to write three lines of Drew's dialogue! - and will continue for as long as the muses are running!

* * *

Title : Last Chance Saloon  
Author : Kim [Also credited as Kay]  
Pairing : Cody Rhodes/Eve Torres, previously Cody Rhodes/Beth Phoenix.  
Rating : Maybe K for this chapter...couple swear words but nothing bad.  
Summary : Cody and Drew have a rather interesting conversation about whether Eve is good for Cody.

* * *

"Ah don't know, Cody, will ye stop goin' on about it?" Drew ran a hand through his long, dark hair and let out an exasperated sigh. Sometimes, he thought, it was much easier to travel with a woman. "Taryn doesn't tell me things like that. Lassies are complicated things, Cody...they don't tell you nothin' - there's a lot of things Taryn'll never tell me. Eve doesn't tell you everythin' either, ye know?"

"I like to think she does, actually," Cody replied defiantly, his lisp slightly more prominent in his words as he pulled his suitcase from the trunk of the cab, he metal wheels clattering against the ground. "I just thought that, what with them being friends, she might have said something to you..." Cody turned his back on the 'Sinister Scotsman' as the slightly older man paid the taxi fair, both of them making there way into the largest airport in Australia -.

"Look, Ah'm sorry- really, Ah Ah'm - but if Beth's comin' to your weddin'...Ah've not been told about it. Ah don't even know if Taryn's comin' if Ah'm bein' honest..." Drew had been dreading telling his temporary tag partner this piece of news and had been holding on to the R.S.V.P card for as long as possible. But there was no time left, now - the minute their flight touched down in the states, they were hitting the Las Vegas Strip for Cody's bachelor party, the wedding being the weekend after Summerslam, just two weeks later. Cody turned almost instantaneously to stare at his friend, the look on his face a wild mix of hurt and confusion. "Its all about loyalty with lassies...She thinks that if she goes to your weddin', she'll be betrayin' Beth an', well, she fuckin' hates Eve."

"Thanks man - that's cold. Real fucking cold," Cody said, dryly, swallowing hard and turning back to face forward, pulling his suitcase with just a bit too much aggression, the result of which saw his suitcase lose its wheel as it hurtled over the small bump indicating the entrance of the airport. Now one wheel down, the case itself took a rather wonky path and the Marietta native threw it to the ground in frustration, letting out a low groan of 'FUCK'. The dark haired man kicked the case and glared at Drew. "So this means you won't be coming either?"

Drew mimicked Cody in swallowing hard, taking a second to avoid answering the question. The long haired man licked his dry lips and wiped his hands on his t-shirt as he came to a standstill behind Cody, the sweat building in his palms making it difficult to hold onto the case. "Well Ah'll come and show face at the reception like...But ye know me, Cody - Ah don't like churches and chapels and Aw that religious stuff. It was bad enough Ah had to do it for my own weddin' never mind yours..."

Inwardly, Cody was screaming a thousand different things - "Grow a pair, Drew! Make her come!" "What do you mean 'she fucking hates Eve'?" "Why can't Taryn and Beth _both_ come?" but outwardly, all he could manage was, "I suppose that's better than nothing..." He covered his eyes with his hands for a second, rubbing his temples with his thumbs. The day wasn't going well so far- Eve had called him at the crack of dawn to tell him she had booked some Nicaraguan band to play at the reception which was going to cost him a pretty packet and then he couldn't find his favourite jeans and his iPod had run out of battery and now this...this was just the icing on the cake.

He bent down and picked up the now wobbly suitcase and carried it a good inch or two off the ground. "She really doesn't like Eve?" Cody said, trying to sound as casual as possible. The two made their way to the check in desk and Cody paused momentarily; a fan was hovering close by and, after both he and Drew had taken photographs with her, the younger man cleared his throat. "Is it because of Beth?"

"Ah don't know, Cody - now would ye quit askin' me stuff about Beth?" Drew ruffled around in his backpack, producing both men's passports and tickets. As Cody handed said documents to the air hostess behind the desk, Drew felt guilty for having snapped at him, especially since Taryn was always whining about how 'cute' Beth and Cody had been. "You know what lassies are like...Ah think it's a bit 'cause of Beth and a bit 'cause Eve keeps rubbin' it in Taryn's face that she's havin' a - what is it, she called it, again? - Oh aye! A 'proper weddin'..." Drew grimaced at the term - he and Taryn had had a lovely wedding, thank you very much, and he, himself, hadn't liked it when Eve proclaimed that it 'wasn't proper if all your friends weren't there'. In fact, he had had to bite his tongue to stop himself telling her that she had no friends and that Cody's would be there. Just Cody's friends...

* * *

Considering it was the largest airport in Australia, Drew found it to be rather dead - he'd seen Prestwick Airport, back home, busier than this and that place was a dump! To his left sat a group of American tourists who had all gotten rather excited when he and Cody entered the departure lounge and to his right was a Japanese family who all had expensive looking cameras and were posing in the nondescript airport, much to the Scotsman's annoyance. Besides an old blind man and his carer sitting by the bathroom, Drew was the only other man in the departure lounge, Cody having gone 'shopping' for a present for Eve. The twenty five year old Scot rolled his eyes - it was bad enough he couldn't get Scottish newspapers in America but now he couldn't get American newspapers in Australia and his lack of reading material was driving him nuts. Orton had offered to loan him one of his well-thumbed Dean Koontz paperbacks for the flight to Australia but he had declined - something he was regretting now. He threw his backpack over one shoulder and pushed himself to his feet, the Americans to his left nudging each other, anticipating his next move. But Drew simply walked on, heading off to find a book store, a magazine store, ANYTHING to occupy himself.

The dark haired man followed the signs to the 'Newslink' store where he purchased a rather sinister looking book about unsolved murders as well as a crossword puzzle book and a pen. It was in examining a small teddy bear which said "I heart Sydney" when you squeezed it, that he was snapped from his thoughts. "Thought you'd still be taking pictures," Cody said from behind, the Georgia native laden with three bags, a confused look on his face as he approached his friend. "Anyways...Does Taryn like this perfume?" He produced a large navy blue box from one of the bags, undoing the cellophane which covered t and producing an intricately designed bottle in the shape of a flower. "Marc Jacobs." He said, proudly. "I knew the name and I recognized the bottle but it was only after I'd bought it and sniffed it that I remembered it was Beth's favourite...not Eve's and the bitch wouldn't give me a refund so...Taryn like it?"

Drew raised an eyebrow at Cody's relaxed manner. He had just bought his fiancée perfume, perfume which reminded him of his ex girlfriend. "Ah dunno mate," Drew said, placing the teddy bear back on the cash register and fully turning towards the other man, the two beginning to make their way back to the deserted departure lounge. "But here's the deal - Ah'll buy it off ye and if Taryn doesn't like it, she can give it to Beth got her birthday. Deal?" Cody nodded once before stashing the bottle back in the box "But what's in the other bags?"

"Some presents for Eve..." Drew snatched the bags from his friend, the shorter man struggling against him and pouting like a child. "Thomas Sabo? And that's the wee diamond bag - those crystal things that begin with S. How much did you spend on her?"

"Swarovski crystal, Drew," Cody said, finally retrieving the bags, his cheeks a little flushed knowing that, with Taryn as a girlfriend, designers were not lost on the Scotsman who, unfortunately, could probably guess what percentage of his pay check had gone to the Swarovski store.

"Ah know fine well what they're called," said Drew, snorting as his shoulders shook with laughter. "Ah just couldn't miss the chance to hear that, eh, wonderful lisp of yours..." Cody groaned, scowling at his friend. "Seriously, mate, we were only away for a few days - what ye gonna get her when we go away on the European tour in September? A new house?" Cody laughed nervously. "Oh for...You're kidding me on, aren't ye? Ye weren' _actually_ gonna buy a new house were ye? Cause your place up in Charlotte? Taryn would fuckin' kill for a house like that. It's a bloody palace!"

"But it's not in Florida and Eve really likes Florida. We seen a nice place in Tampa..."

"Ah'll stop ye right there, son," Drew said, reaching back across and taking the bag with the perfume inside from his friend. "See for being such a fuckin' pussy and not tellin' her to fuck off? Imp not payin' ye for this..." And, in long strides, Drew left Cody standing in Kingsford Smith Airport, a Thomas Sabo bag in one hand, a Swarovski bag in the other.


	3. Chapter 3

So I wanna dedicate this to Glamagirl since she was my first reviewer and she reviewed both chapters so far (: THANK YOU :]

* * *

Title : Last Chance Saloon  
Author : Kim [Also credited as Kay]  
Pairing : Cody Rhodes/Eve Torres, previously Cody Rhodes/Beth Phoenix.  
Rating : Maybe K for this chapter...couple swear words but nothing bad.  
Summary : Its time for the bachelor party and Tiffany doesnt want to be alone.

* * *

"Thank you for coming over, Lizzie," Taryn said, taking the utmost care as she raised her almost full wine glass to her lips. She had spent too much time applying it – and even more time envying how neatly Cody had put his on for the 'Dashing Tip' of Smackdown – to let it crack before she could feel the benefits. "Drew and I, we've not been apart since we got married and there was no way in hell I was gonna be left alone while he partied it up for a full weekend! You know what the Scotch are like…"

"Scots, sweetheart," Beth said, giggling as she popped a chocolate covered strawberry into her mouth. "Scotch is a type of whiskey, I'm sure. I think Ted drinks it…"

"Well Scots…Scotch…whatever they are," Taryn laughed, drinking more of the rosé wine Beth had brought over that evening. "They like a drink and when they start, they don't want to stop. And especially since he didn't have his own bachelor party…I'm surprised Drew hasn't ransacked it and made it a joint party…"

"Drew has more to celebrate," Beth said simply, rolling the stalk of the strawberry in her fingers, the smile on her face a mere memory now. "Drew's got the perfect little wife who packs his suitcase for him and buys matching Him and Her towels, who wants to cuddle at the pool and if he wants his friends over, that's just fine – she'll just stay at a friend's house. Cody's marrying a bloodsucking bitch who can't wait to say she's a member of Dusty Rhodes' family. I wonder if she even knows that's not his real name…" Throwing the stalk into the waste basket by the sofa, she added with a sigh. "I wonder what Virgil thinks of her…And Michelle…She's everything Michelle hates in a girl!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Taryn, from one end of the sofa, nudged her friend's leg with her foot. "We are not here to depress ourselves, nor are we here to talk about Cody bloody Runnels and his whore girlfriend! We are here to get drunk, give each other ridiculous makeovers and watch trashy shows on television like Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives and Nip/Tuck and all that ridiculous shit that I love and makes you wanna pull your eyelids off, you hear me?" Taryn straightened up and, leaning across to the coffee table, filled up Beth's wine glass before handing the glass to her friend. "Now shut up and drink up!"

"I…I think I'm gonna go to the bathroom – this facemask should be washed off round about now…" the blonde got to her feet and, dressed in the Wonder Woman pyjamas Taryn had bought her for her birthday, she shuffled off to the bathroom, taking a loud sniff as she did.

Taryn stared after the slightly older woman, unsure of what to say. Beth was always the positive one – even when her grandma had died, even when she'd gotten injured, the blonde had kept a smile on her face. Granted, she hadn't been too happy when she and Cody had first broken up but she hadn't been half as bad as this. It seemed that the full effect of the breakup was hitting her now, now that Cody had moved on. Taryn placed her own glass on the table and got to her feet, silently, following her friend into the bathroom. At first, it seemed as though Beth really was washing the facemask off; the water was running in the sink and her hand was reaching up to her cheek. "Lizzie?" Taryn said softly, taking a seat on the side of the bathtub.

As though Taryn being there had come as a great shock to the older blonde, Beth let a small gasp escape her lips. She looked panicked, glancing quickly from Taryn to her reflection in the mirror before grabbing the nearest towel and pressing it to her face. "Its okay to cry you know Lizzie…Everyone does it. Maybe you should just let it all out now…"

Beth mumbled something from underneath the towel, the thick towelling material blocking any obvious words from being heard. Taryn got to her feet and pulled the towel down, exposing Beth's face which bore signs of tear marks, the green face mask which had one covered her face now only visible on her forehead and at the far sides of her cheeks, where no tears could reach. "There's nothing to let out…" Beth repeated, under the watchful gaze of Taryn.

"Please don't lie to me," Taryn said, evident hurt written all over her face. "Since I came to the WWE, you've looked after me – you were the one I looked up to, remember? Because you were all strong and tough and you didn't give a fuck what people thought about you, Lizzie. You were the fucking Glamazon and you didn't give a fuck."

The slightly older blonde let out a weak laugh. "You shouldn't curse so much, Taryn. It's not ladylike…"

"And you didn't care what was ladylike, either! Lizzie…please…" taking a firm grip on the much larger wrestler's shoulders, Taryn wriggled around, pushing Beth down to sit on the edge of the bath. "You might not accept it or even believe in best friends but, right now, you're mine. Now wipe your face and tell me what's wrong!"

Beth pulled the towel from Taryn's outstretched hands and, gently, began to rub the residue of the face mask off of her skin. "He's moved on and I haven't…" she said simply and, while Taryn wanted to stop her there, to tell her that that wasn't the case, she sat silent, letting Beth speak. "When me and Joe broke up…I was so over that, I knew it was done long before he even knew…But with Cody…He's getting married, he's moving on with his life, he's over me and here I am, sobbing like a bitch over him like…like…like some pathetic fangirl."

"I think you have a bit more right to cry than a 'pathetic fangirl'," Taryn laughed, crouching down so that she was eye level with her friend. "But if what Drew's said is right…I wouldn't say he's all that over you." Beth let out an unladylike snort. "Why else would he be so desperate for you to be at that wedding?"

"To rub it in my face? And sending a card is hardly desperate…"

"Don't be stupid – that's not his style and you know it. And, yeah, maybe the card wasn't desperate but bugging the hell out of Drew all through the Australian tour was. Drew was BBM'ing me constantly, telling me how nuts he sounded. From what I can see, Lizzie, he's just as hung up on you…he just has a funny way of showing it."

* * *

"So this is, technically, yer las' night a'freedom?" Stephen laughed, his flatcap tight over his vivid red hair. He stroked his chin, thoughtfully, before breaking into another hearty laugh. "Yer a be'er man than me, Runnels –Ah'll tell ye tha'!"

"I really wish people would stop saying that to me…" Cody said, swaying on the spot – for the past three days he had been plied with drunk, the twenty five year old's lisp now horribly prominent in whatever he tried to say. "It's not like I'm a…a hero or…or a fireman or…"

Drew laughed, silencing the Georgia native by handing him another glass of Jack Daniels and coke. "Shut up an' drink that, Cody. Yer soundin' like a right prat!" Over the past three days, wrestlers, actors, family friends and life long neighbours had come and gone for the festivities but now it came down to just this – Ted Dibiase, Mike Mizanin, Drew Galloway and Stephen Farrelly, all very drunk and doing their best to hold an even drunker Cody Runnels up. "So what's the plan for the night, lads? We've already been to every strip club in Vegas – well everybody 'cept Mr Catholic on the end there – an' we've gambled in every casino so…what's left?"

Ted huffed silently in the corner, unhappy about all the debauchery that had gone on during the past three days; he was no prude but he did take his religion seriously and so, needless to say, he had found the gambling and nudity all to be a bit excessive. He had never had this sort of behaviour in the run up to his wedding! Though, granted, none of these guys had been at his wedding… "Maybe we could just have one night where we can just have a few beers, maybe watch the game on television, have a game of pool? I can't see the 'groom-to-be' being capable of doing much else…" He paused, glancing at three nodding faces and Cody, whose eyes were slowly closing. "Maybe we should get a booth and he can sleep it off…"

* * *

And so, thirty minutes later, Drew and Stephen were having an epic battle of pool, both men having wagered a month's pay on that one game and Mike Mizanin looked on, tweeting excitedly whenever anyone potted a ball, or when a song he liked played, or, really, whenever one of his ridiculous drunken thoughts – including "must buy more hair gel" – popped into his head. Ted, on the other hand was sitting in the booth, pushing a large bowl of hot wings in the direction of Cody who was getting more and more distressed by the second. "I just don't understand Ted…You're like…we were friends since we were this high!" At this point, he attempted to give a vague estimation of just how high they had been and knocking over a jug of water (another sobering technique Ted had tried). "And now you're saying you don't like…my…Why don't you? I…I…"

"Cody, snap the fuck out of it," Ted said, seemingly losing his patience with the younger man. "You've known since we were kids that I don't like comic books – I've never liked comic books and I only wore that Batman t-shirt because I didn't wanna hurt Beth's feelings!"

"I feel so…so lied to…"

"You're drunk man. Take these," Ted said pushing the hot wings at him once more. "Drink you water – what's left of it – and eat them. Then you can come and join us and I'll play you at pool, ok?" Cody pouted at his friend but nodded, instantly regretting this as his head began to spin.

Ted, getting to his feel, slid himself from the booth and made his way towards the pool table, where Miz was chuckling gleefully, Drew looking rather terrified as Stephen eyed up his second last ball. "How the hell did he get so drunk?" he asked Mike exasperatedly as he took a seat on the bar stool beside him.

"Well see I kinda told him how to get into the mini bar and I don't think there's anything left…"

"Oh, you mean the mini bar that had the password that we all agreedwe wouldn't tell him so he wouldn't end up in this state?"

"Yeah, that's the one…"

"You're an idiot, Mike…" But before the reality television star could reply, Drew let out an characteristically cheery whoop, Stephen having missed the pot.

"He's gonna have ta stay in tha' state," Stephen commented, thrusting the pool queue at his Scottish counterpart as he leaned across, between Ted and Mike to retrieve his beer. "Cause Christ knows ah'd have ta be drunk ta be aroun' tha' cow."

"My Taryn doesn' like her either," Drew commented, chalking up the pool queue with a serious look on his face. "Ah pity the poor bloke, to tell ye the truth."

"All I know," said Mike, smugly slipping his blackberry into his pocket. "Is that Eve is one hell of a goer in the bedroom and she's a damn step up on that man-beast Beth." And that was when, from no-where, Cody's fist connected with Mike's face.

Stephen, Ted and Drew all lunged at Cody, hauling him away from Mike, who clutched at his face. The second generation superstar wrestled against the three, throwing sloppy, drunken punches which Stephen assured him he would regret, should any of them connect with 'me beautiful Irish face'. "You knew Eve had a past Cody, you knew that." Ted tried to calm the younger man down but, in his angry haze, Cody heard none of what he was saying and continued to lunge at Mike, fists still flying.

"You do not call Beth a fucking man-beast!"


	4. Chapter 4

No author's note this time.

* * *

Title : Last Chance Saloon  
Author : Kim [Also credited as Kay]  
Pairing : Cody Rhodes/Eve Torres, previously Cody Rhodes/Beth Phoenix.  
Rating : Maybe K for this chapter...couple swear words but nothing bad.  
Summary : Its time for the bachelor party and Tiffany doesnt want to be alone.

* * *

"Have you calmed down, now?" Ted questioned, eyes narrowed as he handed Cody his fourth bottle of water since leaving the bar. Sitting on the steps of said bar, Cody's head remained firmly between his legs as he did his best to stop the room spinning and prevent himself from spewing on the ground. He had been in some messes thanks to alcohol - he had been so drunk he had forgotten his own name and even gone as far as recieving a lapdance from what had later turned out to be a pre-op transvstite but he had never punched his friend in the face and been carried out of the bar, kicking and screaming by three professional wrestlers, leaving his injured friend to be 'tended to' by a busty barmaid. "You're lucky you caught him off guard, you know? Remember Arizona?"

Drew and Stephen nodded solemnly from their seated positions on the sidewalk and, during later recounts of this 'epic tale' Drew would swear that Ted and Stephen blessed themselves at this point, thanking God for having allowed them to survive Arizona. Stephen looked up and nodded his head in the direction of Cody who, eyes shut, was unscrewing the cap from the bottle. "Ah can respec' the wee fella," he said honestly and, while Cody was grateful for the support, having successfully unscrewed the cap, all he could do was gurgle down water greedily. "Where Ah'm from, it's a fella's duty ta defend his woman!"

"'Cept that's the problem, i'nt it wee man?" Drew laughed, wishing he had made that bet with Taryn now. "A mean - call his fiance a dir-rty tart aw ye want, hell, ye can even describe how she fits ye like a glove; 'cause God knows ye'v probably been there - half the locker room has - but you call his ex a 'man-beast' an' he's ready ta tear ye a new arsehole!" Drew smirked at Stephen before the pair glanced back at Cody for his reaction. "Somethin' no right there if ye ask me..."

"Ahm no' an expert on relationships - Drew'll tell ye that for nothin' - but Ah do know you an' Ah do know Beth an' Ah'd say that you two need ta talk!" Stephen said, adjusting the three buttons on his rather dapper grey waistcoat, his eyes boring holes into the youngest of the four men. "You can talk ta her at Summerslam - perfec' opportunity."

"Aye 'cause that'll look fuckin' brilliant, won' it Steve? Eve'll really go for seein' her fiance chattin' up his Ex, tellin' her whut happened the night. An' even if Eve doesn' see him talkin' ta her, what's he meant to say, eh? 'Beth, Ah think Ah love ye cause Ah smacked that prick Mizanin for callin' ye a man-beast?" Ah don't think that'll work wi' Beth somehow..."

"Woah!" Ted raised both hands, intent on settling the war of words between his British friends. "First of all, Drew, no one said nothing about love, did they? No, I don't believe they did. And, secondly, Cody asked Eve to marry him - not Beth. They love each other - that's why they're getting married - and no one wants to ruin that, do they?" Ted's eyes wide, the vein in his neck straining as he looked incredulously between his friends. Marriage was a sacred thing, surely they understood that? Cody was marrying Eve, not Beth. Why were they so intent on questioning this? "Do they?" he repeated, glowering in Cody's direction.

The Marrieta native looked up at Ted through alcoholl-glazed eyes and, very unsteadily, using the wall for leverage, he got to his feet. Cody cleared his throat before, after a dramatic pause, he slurred at Ted, "I needta call her, huh?" With Ted's nod of approval, Cody reached into his pocket for his blackberry and, producing it victoriously, the heaily inebriated superstar began his search through his contacts. Ted clicked his tongue against the side of his mouth, unimpressed at how long his friend was taking to get to the letter 'E' in his phonebook. "Aaron...Adam...Adam Copeland? Lets call him! Those Canadian's always know how to party! No?...Okay...Andrew...Barry...ooh, there we go - BETH!" The wrestlers fingers were literally mere millimeters away from the call button when his former tag team partner snatced the blackberry from him.

"You are such a moron, Cody. I meant call Eve you dick!" Stephen and Drew's eyes widened - Ted wasn't much of a swearer; the man prayed the whole night if he said 'the f word' more than three times a day - and they knew he was angry, now. Both remained silent as, glancing in Cody's direction, the Mississippi native shook his head. "But on second thoughts - maybe its best you don't do that either..."

Even knowing that Ted was angry, Stephen saw the look in Cody's eyes, the proverbial birds flying around his head as he attempted to make sense of who he was supposed to call. "The fella's got the right idea, Ted. Let him call Beth. If she tells him tha' she wants him back - fair play to the lad, the weddin's off and he's gettin' back wi' the Glamazon. An' if she tells him where ta go - he blames the drink. Or Mizanin. I choose Mizanin."

"No, Steve. You. Cant. Do. That" Through gritted teeth, Ted did his best to remain calm. "Eve and Cody are getting married soon and I am not going to let a little Sambuca destroy that. For God's sake - " at this point, Ted paused, cursing himself for having taken the Lord's name in vain. "I mean...Listen to me, okay? He's drunk - so very drunk - and he doesnt know what he's saying. Now shut up and help me get him home." Ted slid the blackberry into his pocket, knowing that drunken phonecalls were the last thing Beth needed in the run up to that idiots wedding. No, that phone was staying with him til Cody sobered up.

* * *

"You feeling a bit better no?" Taryn asked, cuddling up behind Beth in the large bed she usually shared with Drew. If she breathed deep enough she could smell his aftershave on the bedding, even over the smell of Beth's apple shampoo and, dwelling on this thought, she wondered how Beth had managed to cope so well - she had known Cody much longer than she and Drew and known each other, had been through so much and now she had nothing. With a soft sigh, the Louisianna diva understood just why Beth had crumbled earlier that night. She tucked a stray strand of the older woman's hair behind her ear, which came disloded a mere second later when Beth nodded her head. "In the words of the chauffeur from Princess Diaries - and I'm allowed to quote Disney and Meg Cabot at a time like this, because I'm blonde and I've done Playboy and no one expects any better - " Beth let out a giggle, Taryn having succeeded with her plan as she continued. "No one can make you feel inferior without your permission."

Beth sat up, turning around to face her younger friend. "That is the stupidest quote I have ever heard, Taryn - and you've quoted Cinderella to me."

"Made you laugh though, didnt it?" Taryn shoved Beth gently, giggling to herself. "Now get to bed or I'll make you watch Braveheart."

And with that, Beth lay down on her side and snuggled up to her pillow with a simple 'Goodnight' and, just minutes later, the Glamazon of the WWE was fast asleep, much to Taryn's surprise. After the evening's events, she had expected her friend to put up much more of a resistance, or at least struggle to sleep. _Maybe letting it all out did her good..._ she thought to herself as, with a sigh of relief, she made herself comfortable on her side of the bed, intent on getting the eight hours of sleep she so desperately needed.

But there was no such luck as, from the sitting room, a loud chorus of 'Get Outta My Life' by Rebel Meets Rebel began to play, Beth's phone springing to life as it began to light up and vibrate. Taryn jumped from the bed, keen not to wake her friends - or let this phone call wake her either - and she ran to the living room, grabbing the cell phone from the table where Beth had left it. She glanced at the caller ID and frowned. Stephen Farrelly? Why the hell would "The Ginger Whinger" as Drew fondly called him, be calling Beth? The blonde's finger hovered over the green call button but, by the time she had decided to answer the call, the phone had stopped ringing.

Pouting at the cell phone, Taryn threw it back down on the table onece she had turned the blackberry to silent. If Stephen wanted to contact Beth so badly, he could leave a message or, better still, he could call her back in the morning. Pulling her long hair back into a messy braid, the Louisianna native went back to bed - she was gonna need a lot of beauty sleep before Summerslam! And so, as the two blonde's drifted off to sleep, Beth's phone lit up once more - (1) New Voicemail.


	5. Chapter 5

No author's note this time.

* * *

Title : Last Chance Saloon  
Author : Kim [Also credited as Kay]  
Pairing : Cody Rhodes/Eve Torres, previously Cody Rhodes/Beth Phoenix.  
Rating : Maybe K for this chapter...couple swear words but nothing bad.  
Summary : Its time for the bachelor party and Tiffany doesnt want to be alone.

* * *

"Excuse me, Miss?" Cody said, reaching out to tap the air hostess's arm. "Can I have another bottle of water, please?" With an almost too-eager nod, the blonde ran her tongue over her glossy red lips and teetered off in her too-high heels, keen to tell the rest of her colleagues that the 'hot wrestler' had touched her arm.

"Unbelievable!" Stephen laughed. "Ye look like a fuckin' zombie ah' ye still manage ta have the trolly dollies flingin' themselves at ye." While Stephen looked his usual dapper self in his waist coat and jean combo, his face freshly washed and smelling of his favourite cologne, Cody looked rough, his hair standing up in strange directions, his eyes were bloodshot and he smelled strongly of red bull. "Ah canna take you anywhere without some lass throwin' their knickers at ye, can Ah?" Stephen chuckled to himself when Cody winced, mumbling something about 'the Irish always talking too loud'.

"Steve, please shut the fuck up. I just wanna drink my water and catch a few hours sleep before we get to St. Louis" Cody replied, the hangover having taken full grip of him in the past half our or so.

"Ah would've thought ye had had enough sleep - after aw, that's why we're havin' ta get a flight to St. Louis ta go aw the way back ta Los Angeles - cause someb'dy wouldn' wake up in time for their nine o'clock flight an' wont be fit ta drive for another day at leas'." Cody groaned and pressed two fingers against the 'call' button while Stephen continued to grumble about how he was the only good friend who would wait with him. In less than a minute, the same blonde air hostess was back, bottle of water in hand as Cody attempted to order to painkillers to quell the pounding of his head. "Cody Ah thought we'd discussed this - yer no' allowed pain killers after yer wee acciden'." Stephen leaned past the second generation superstar and, in a theatrically hushed whisper, lied to the air hostess. "Fifteen vicodin after his Wrestlemania match - poor boy couldn' handle the fame. Had ta get his stomach pumped an' was in hospital for over a week..."

The blonde's red pout made the perfect O as Stephen shook his head sadly, attempting to keep a straight face as Cody protested, proclaiming this - rightfully - was lies. As she rushed off to tell the rest of her cabin crew, Cody turned to face Stephen. "What the hell, man?" Cody cried, his blood shot eyes bulging. "That's gonna be all over the internet - Dashing the Druggie." At this point Stephen pointed out that the title had a ring to it, earning him a glare from his younger friend. "Why the hell would you do this to me?"

"Ah'll tell you why - every other superstar and diva; includin' that wee Natalya is sunnin' themselves in L.A. They're enjoyin' life, havin' a few drinks, meetin' some fans. And where am Ah? Ah'm no' sunnin' maself, Ah'm no workin' on gettin' Natalya ta go oot wi' me. Where am Ah, Runnels? Ahm stuck on a plane wi' you cause you're too lazy to get up, too drunk to drive an' the DVLA took ma license. Now, Ah'm no gonna resent ye fur that - oh naw. Ah'm gonna enjoy it." The whole time Stephen sat grinning, unnerving Cody. Was he really angry? Cody couldn't tell. The grin said otherwise but the fact remained that Stephen had stayed with him while the others left for Los Angeles. He should have been grateful really. "Now give me ma phone, will ye? Ah fancy playing a wee bit ah 'Angry Birds' before take off." Cody frowned. Why the hell would he have had Stephen's phone? And, with a look of devastating realisation, Cody remembered dialling Beth's number on Stephen's iPhone.

* * *

For the most part, Beth had slept well; Taryn and Drew's bed being much comfier than her own at home. Granted, upon waking in the middle of the night with Taryn's warm breath on the back of her neck, she had thought - hopeful - that it had been Cody, something she had cursed herself for when she turned to see the sleeping blonde. Upon waking the next morning, however, she had tied her hair back, pulled on her sweats and headed to Drew's home gym for a well needed work out, all in silence for fear of waking her friend.

After a sweat inducing workout and a red-hot shower, Beth had made her way to the living room for breakfast where she found Taryn sitting on the sofa, watching The View, a bowl of cereal on her lap. "Want some?" she offered between mouthfuls, causing Beth to scrunch up her nose. "Right - no carbs. Well, Drew has some of those protein bars in the cupboard but, I warn you, they won taste half as good as this!"

"I don't doubt that for one moment, Taryn, but I'm not gonna get back in shape by eating starch and sugar, am I Mrs Galloway?" As Taryn protested that, somewhere in her cereal, there was some form of goodness, Beth grabbed herself a protein bar and poured herself a glass of ice water. "I'm all packed, by the way, so we can start heading through to Los Angeles whenever you're ready." She said, having packed up all her things after her shower.

"Well its a three hour drive to get to the state line, Drew says and when he called earlier, he said him and Ted will be at the hotel for four so we can leave here about one-ish?" She glanced at her watch. "I still have to shower and pack some of his things up, so that'll give me two hours to get that done..."

Beth took a seat beside her friend and after a sip of water, asked, "Only him and Ted? Where's the rest of the guys?"

Taryn shrugged, "I know Mike is heading through tomorrow, he's going to see some family today. But he never mentioned Cody or Steve or John or...or anyone but Ted actually." As though a little lightbulb switched on in her head, Taryn added. "You got a message last night. I just remembered." She watched as Beth reached to grab her phone, keen to see why Steven had called.

However, shrugging, Beth checked the text message, telling her that she had received a voice mail and promptly deleted it. "It's just gonna be mom - she gets antsy if I don't call her every day..." And, as she threw her phone back onto the sofa, Taryn was filled with the want to tell her that it had been Stephen but something - something she would later call women's intuition - told her that there was no need to mention this and that, perhaps, it was best she just went for a shower now.

* * *

"So did you have a good time, baby?" Taryn asked, arms wrapped around Drew's neck as she gazed lovingly into his eyes. He had waited in the foyer of the hotel for her and had gone through quite a lot of photos and autograph signings in doing so. Almost the second she saw him, her bags - which were by no means light - were dropped and she had run at high speed into his arms, leaving Beth looking awkward as she dragged her own bags behind.

"Aye it was no' bad - Ah missed you, but. Ah missed you a lot," he said, planting a chaste kiss on her lips. "An' what about you? You and Beth go mad on ma credit card again? Bank of Scotland must love me..." He chuckled as she shook her head for a nano second before mumbling 'just me' into his chest. "Alrigh' Beth?" He called over his wife's head.

The blonde stood by the reception, her cell phone in hand as she read through Mike Mizanin's latest tweet. He was forever tweeting about silly things in his life but even she had to admit it was entertaining. "Hi, Drew - I heard you guys had a pretty eventful few days, huh?"

"Ye could say that, aye..." He replied, looking slightly shifty. What did she know, exactly, and how had she found out?

"What happened, Drew?" Taryn asked, shifting from his embrace, keen to find out the gossip. The WWE Superstars were all under strict dietary requirements and most didn't drink often but, when they did, they did it big. "Did you guys lose Cody? Was it like The Hangover? I bet you were like Phil, weren't you?"

Beth giggled, "No, they got kicked out of a strip club because Ted called a dancer immoral and then Cody punched Mike."

"What?" Taryn's face set to stone. "You went to a strip club? What did I tell you Drew?" She pushed his hands from her waist as the Scotsman protested that it had been a bachelor party and that it was only expected of them. "No, Drew. What the _fuck_ did I tell you? Need me to refresh your memory?" Beth looked on, eyes wide and mouth agape as the scene unfolded in front of her. The lobby was packed but this seemed to go unnoticed by Taryn who yelled at Drew, fists pummelling into Drew's chest with every word. ".STRIPPERS. I asked one thing of you Drew - NO STRIPPERS. Are you fucking stupid? Do you really not get it? I told you! I fucking told you! You have no respect for me, Drew! None at all! How could you?" The blonde's voice elevated, her fists becoming more rapid as she swung at her husband, who ducked and weaved, grabbing at her wrists as he pleaded.

"Taryn it was a bachelor party an' it wasn't ma idea. It was Steve's. Ah had to go - Ah couldn't leave Ted wi' Steve and Cody. An' Hennigan was there - you know what he's like...Please, darlin', listen...TARYN WILL YE STOP HITTIN' ME? AH'VE DONE NOTHIN' WRONG!"

This only seemed to infuriate the blonde who used all her strength to pull her wrists from his grip, her assault on her husband starting up as he did his best to shield his face, in hopes that it would all blow over. Beth ran to Taryn's side, hauling her hands from Drew's arms, where she was tugging, trying to get a better shot of his face. "You're filthy, Drew! Every last one of you. How could you? I tell you one thing! ONE THING! And you go and do it any way! I could KILL you Drew Galloway!" And that was when the police arrived, handcuffing Taryn as Beth, Drew and hundreds of stunned fans looked on in shock.


	6. Chapter 6

University caught me up, sorry for taking so long to update.

* * *

Title : Last Chance Saloon  
Author : Kim [Also credited as Kay]  
Pairing : Cody Rhodes/Eve Torres, previously Cody Rhodes/Beth Phoenix.  
Rating : Maybe K for this chapter...couple swear words but nothing bad.  
Summary : Its time for the bachelor party and Tiffany doesnt want to be alone.

* * *

"So what's gonna happen, then?" Beth asked into the hands-free set as she drove to the Summerslam Axxess point. It had been a strange few days, with Taryn's arrest having been the most shocking of events which unfolded, but not the only one. Cody had been stranger than usual, avoiding Beth at all costs and hiding behind vending machines whenever they crossed paths and Stephen wasn't helping any, asking strange questions about messages and phone calls and, really, just being ridiculous. But today seemed to be going well; although granted it was just eight in the morning. She was halfway to her nine o'clock signing and, once that was over, she and Taryn would be going to a salon to get ready for the Kick-Off Party, that evening. "Are you getting suspended or is it just straight legal proceedings?"

"Vince says he can't have me involved in any WWE related events until my hearing's over," Taryn sighed. "I can't even go to Summerslam, Lizzie. Drew asked him, you know, if it would be okay for me to go, just as family? But he said no meant no." She had spent four hours in a cell, panicking over what was going to happen to her before Drew had come to bail her out. And yet the few hours she had spent behind bars had been nothing compared to her seven am phone call with Vince McMahon. "I can't even go to the Kick-Off Party."

"Tell me this is a joke..." Beth groaned. For the past three days, Beth and Taryn had gone over all the possibilities of Mrs. Galloway's punishment; after the first, they had accepted that time behind bars was not an option and that chances are, she would be fined and suspended for a short period of time. In saying this, neither of them had contemplated that she would not be able to go to the Kick-Off Party that evening. The Kick-Off Party where Eve would be. Where Eve would be looking stunning, hanging off the arm of Beth's ex. Beth's ex who was acting increasingly weirder as the days to his wedding counted down.

"I'm 'fraid not, Lizzie," Taryn replied, sighing softly. "Drew says he'll stay to keep me company...This is his first Summerslam, he shouldn't have to..." Shrugging her shoulders a little, though Beth couldn't see this, she continued, "I'm gonna try to convince him to go - I can curl up with Titanic and a bottle of red wine..."

"I can always stay with you?" Said Beth, hoping Taryn would not see her ulterior motive. There was no way she could stomach going to the Kick-Off Party without Taryn, without someone to stay with her, to stop her punching the smug look off of Eve's face...

"No, I'm fine," said Taryn, a stiffness in her voice. "You have to go to the party - it'll be good for you to be around everyone again." Beth glared at her phone, currently positioned on her dashboard. "And stop pulling that face - I know you too well, Lizzie. Now, don't bother complaining - just have a drink or two before you go to calm your nerves and you'll be absolutely perfect."

Beth grumbled into the phone before pulling into to parking lot. "I'm gonna have to go, Taryn, that's me here. I'm gonna come over to your hotel room and strangle you before I go out. Love you."

* * *

"For God's sake Cody, I ask you to do one thing and you can't even do that! Sometimes I wonder why I bother myself with you - HONESTLY!" Eve was mid-rant, by this point and Cody had switched off minutes before but, for some reason, that line had broken into his thoughts - thoughts which a soon to be married man should never have been thinking about his future wife - and the second generation superstar found himself muttering, 'Because my father's rich, perhaps?'. Though the words themselves were not recognised, Eve heard the grumble. "What was that?" She snapped, glaring at him through the vanity mirror on the dressing table.

Cody, who had been ready for almost half an hour now, lay flat out on the double bed, his blue button down shirt unbuttoned at the top. He stared back in the mirror at his fiancée but said nothing. A moment or two passed before the Marietta native asked, "Are we ready to go, now? I told Ted we'd meet him and Kristen at eight o'clock and it's quarter past," the blue eyed wrestler glanced at his blackberry. "He's already text me twice..."

Eve, who had been changing her earrings for the fourth time glared at him once more. "Well maybe you should just go without me, Cody? I'm sure you'd have a much better time!" The brunette had been fuming since he had returned from his bachelor party, hours late and dreadfully hungover. This, topped with the fact that he had fought with Mike - and both refused to tell her why - had seen a rather sexless relationship since his return.

"You know what," Cody said, getting to his feet and stashing his blackberry and wallet in the pockets of his suit trousers. "That's exactly what I'm gonna do. Come find me when you've stopped being a bitch." Cody left the room, a stunned Eve speechless as the door slammed shut behind him. They had never argued before, not even over what television show to watch. Was he getting cold feet, she wondered. Why would he? Who wouldn't want to marry me? Tossing her dark curls over her shoulder, Eve turned back to her reflection and grinned, picking up her lipgloss to colour her pout.

* * *

Struggling with her strapless dress, pulling it back up for the one hundredth time, Beth was sure she shouldn't have finished the bottle of wine before the rental car came to pick her up. She had been tipsy to start with but the second the fresh air hit her, so did the alcohol and, suddenly, it wasn't so much confident she felt, as incapacitated. Sitting at a small, padded booth with Natalya Nedhart and Maryse Ouellet, both of whom were discussing how gorgeous Eve was going to look precisely one week from the day, when she got married. The chat was unbearable and, although she was already quite drunk, the blonde finished the glass of champagne in front of her and got to her feet, keen to escape the babbling blondes. She had only just got to her feet, only just spotted John Morrison - with whom she had spent many an hour in the gym - when a loud voice boomed, "Elizabeth," a heavy hand clapping down on her bare shoulder.

Beth wheeled around on her heels, the familiar voice causing a grin to break out across her face as she found herself enveloped in a warm hug. "Virgil!" she squealed, hugging into what would have been her father-in-law if things had gone well between her and Cody. "I didn't think you'd be here, tonight!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide with drunkenness.

"You should know me by now, Elizabeth," the former wrestler chuckled, still keeping the blonde close. "Any excuse for a party!" Beth pulled herself from the hug, grinning up at 'The Dream' like a child meeting her hero. "Now, tell me why you're all by yourself through the back, wanderin' around when you should be in there with everyone else takin' photos and havin' a good time."

"I think I've had enough of a good time by myself, Dream..." she giggled, shaking her head. "And I don't really wanna be through there not with..."

"Eve?"

Beth stared at Virgil as though he were a mind reader. "How did you know?" she asked, looking sheepish. It wasn't Virgil's place to listen to this kinda thing and she knew it but, with the usual Virgil-like cheerfulness, the older man shrugged.

"Because I don't really want to be around her either," he laughed, his laugh booming across the room, causing many to turn and stare at the two. "But lucky for us, she's not through there and my sons are currently involved in a drinkin' game which, if I'm to believe young Ted, isn't good for Cody. Now, what do you say to you and I headin' through to the main room, grabbin' a couple orange juices and lettin' me have a catch up with my favourite Glamazon?"

* * *

"Now smile for the camera, boys," Lilian Garcia grinned from in between Stephen and Ted. Both men stood grinning for the camera, Stephen chuckling to himself about the massive pimple on Ted's forehead. "Thank you!" Lilian said, giving both men a hug as she rushed off to catch Randy Orton, who had just walked in the room.

"Shame she had ta' leave," said Stephen, staring after the blonde as she posed for a photo with the so-called 'Viper of the WWE. "She's a fine lookin' lass, tha's fer sure."

"Yeah I'm pretty sure her husband would think so too," Ted smirked, shaking his head at the Celtic Warrior. "So eyes off, Steve-oh."

"Aww shite," Stephen said, and, for a moment, Ted was sure the Irishman hadn't known about Lilian's husband and was genuinely upset that she was a Mrs. But, just from following his line of sight, the Mississippi native guessed exactly what Stephen was dismayed about. "Ah don' think she should be talkin' ta him, d'you? Ah mean, after Cody's late nigh' phone calls..."

"What late night - "

But Stephen was already taking long strides towards the small table Beth and Dusty sat at, the red-haired man not taking any chances, drawing level with the table, just in time to hear the blonde say, "I miss him, I guess."

"Now Elizabeth," Stephen said, leaning forward to take Beth's hand. "You an' Ah needta have a wee chat - sorry Dream, bu' this one's mine fur the nex' few minutes." He grinned, almost hauling a confused Beth to her feet and out of the room, leaving Virgil looking bemused. He had heard from Cody that Stephen was 'a strange one' and thought it best not to question anything he did.

* * *

Outside of the building was a small alley, where bins for the hall and the hotel beside it were kept and this, for Stephen was the perfect place to take Beth. "What the hell is wrong with you, Stephen?" the blonde demanded.

"Why are ya tellin' the Dream tha' ye miss his son?" Stephen groaned, his hands running through his hair, leaving them slick with gel. "Especially after those phone calls las' week!"

"What phone calls?" Beth asked, her confused look now downright muddled now. "What are you talking about Stephen?"

"Cody called ya, on the las' nigh' o' his stag nigh'! His bachelor par'y, whatever ya Yanks call it! He called ya an' he lef' ye a message - ye'v no heard them have ye?" He groaned, shaking his head. Cody had been avoiding her since he arrived home and for what? She hadn't even heard the message! Maybe he hadn't even sent one? He had been _very_ drunk...

"I got a message that night," Beth said, taking a seat near the least smelly bin. "I thought it was from my mom..."

"Well A'd gi'e it a wee listen - Ah'm pretty sure it wid be a diff'ren Runnels ye'd be talkin' to if ye did..." And, knowing women as he did, Stephen took a step back, headed back into the party while Beth rummaged around in her clutch bag, desperate to listen to her voicemails


End file.
